IMO Ink » For Photographers

SEO Magic: How to Get Your WordPress Blog to Page One in Google

TerraDawn — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:52:51 +0000

IT’S MY BIRTHDAY WEEK!!!!!!!!!! So for THROUGH SUNDAY ONLY we are taking $5 off of the ticketed price! So instead of a two week course for $25 (which is already pretty darned good) we are giving the you the two week course PLUS “The Badass Blogger” ebook and “The Badass Blogger’s Checklist” for $20!! Use the code : BDAYCODE to get your discount!

Do you have a WordPress Blog? Do you want to get your blog on the first page of Google?

Check out our two week workshop offered through Skillshare!

Class Dates: April 28th, 2013 – May 12th, 2013

Location: Online through Skillshare

Cost: ~~$25~~ $20 for my birthday week, through Sunday March 17th! Use code: “BDAYCODE” at checkout!

Almost everyone has a blog these days; Blogs ranging from love of photography to love of Justin Beiber. (My favorite blog is dedicated completely to grilled cheese. I KNOW!!! RIGHT??? Awesome.) Only problem with all of this blogging passion? If you love it enough to write about it…chances are hundreds of others are writing about it too.

So how do you stand out from the crowd? How will your blog posts end up at the top of Google search engines? How do you engage readers for comments and more social interraction? This two week class is dedicated to showing you the way to bloggers paradise (ie. page one of the Google Search Engines).

The class will be fun, informative, SUPER easy to understand and super easy implement into your daily blogging practices.

We’ll go over:

the basics and definition of SEO
SEO heavy widgets to help mainstream the process
which parts of the blog post Google pays attention to the most
white hat and black hat SEO practices
how to choose keywords that will drive traffic to your individual posts
keeping track of your Google analytics
how to write posts that keep readers hooked and coming back
and TONS more.

Can’t make one of our class discussions? Easy peasy-lemon squeezy! All of our discussions will be recorded for you to watch at a later time!

By the end of the course, your blog will be passing your competition in the rankings by leaps and bounds. And two weeks after the course? You’ll be on page one for the majority of your chosen keywords.

Each attendee will also receive a FREE copy PDF of our book, “The Badass Blogger” as well as a free copy of our PDF “The Badass Blogger’s Checklist”.

Click here to read the syllabus and get your spot reserved today!!

Love what you see here? Email us at info@IMOInK.com for rates and date availability! Be sure to check out more on our FREE Engagement Sessions here. You can also find out more by following us on Facebook.

Four Affordable Ways to Over Deliver to Your Photography Business Clients

TerraDawn — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:24:26 +0000

How To Go Beyond Your Client’s Expectations and Build Loyalty In Your Photo Business

Fact: I have never been able to finish an entire burrito from Chipotle.

The Chipotle Process: You start at the beginning of the line, watching them put those heaping spoonfulls of white rice and black beans, chicken and finally cheese and guac on top of a GINORMOUS tortilla. It’s beautiful.

But the best part?

Watching the last person on the assembly line trying to wrap the beautifully piled carb concoction in a tortilla that is big…but not quite big enough.

The Story: So, I was in Chipotle yesterday…ordering the beautiful burrito art you just read about above, and I noticed that the beans and rice guy was piling a SIGNIFICANTLY smaller amount of white ricey goodness on my tortilla than was usual. He was PROBABLY still building a burrito that was bigger than I could eat…but I paid for more. I paid for a burrito the size of my face and I was going to get it, damn it.

So…I asked, very politely, for more.

“Can you add just a bit more rice please?” (Just like that.)

He complied with a smile and I moved on down the row to finish my burrito, watch the piece de resistance of wrapping, and pay for my meal.

Of course, I only finished about half of the wrapped monstrosity…unceremoniously tossing the rest in the garbage and recycling my water bottle. (In retrospect, I see the irony in these actions…).

Chipotle Burrito (Photo credit: compujeramey)

The Lesson: Chipotle has gotten SO GOOD at over delivering, that when one of their “food artists” accidentally under delivers by just the slightest amount…the customer feels ripped off and will politely rectify the situation by asking for more.

More that they just don’t need.

This is a day and age of instant expectation and the wanting of more than what you’ve been promised. When you go to the grocery store, you expect to get the measuring tape of coupons. When you go to the salon, you expect to get those little chocolates and the offer of a “tea or coffee while you wait?”. When leaving Costco…you expect to have to carry your $100 purchase out with a forklift.

0_0

So what does this mean for the small boutique business trying to stay afloat in the sea of JCPennies and Glamour Shots? How can we afford to over deliver when we are still trying to make rent? The ideas listed below will not only help you build a loyal following, but get new customers through the door faster than Kit from Knight Rider. And what’s even better? These ideas are all free!

I’m waiting for Josh’s plane to land…so I thought I’d play a little bit with some new photo apps. . Morning world!! #engagement #love #romantic (Photo credit: IMOInkPhotography)

Idea #1. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE – Hey! Don’t roll your eyes at me! It’s true! This is the highest form of over delivery…and one of the hardest for small businesses to grasp sometimes (including yours truly…but this is a “do as I say, not as I do kinda moment”). Answering emails within 24 hours, solving problems instead of leaving them on the back burner, and getting your images and product delivered in a timely manner will keep you loved and recommended. This is more valuable than the best ad space in the top wedding magazine!! (Which is usually pretty useless now that I think about it.)

Idea #2. SHOW OFF YOUR CLIENTS – Your clients hired you because you promised them an experience that is catered to them. As a wedding photographer, you’ve formed a bond with your clients that (aside from the planner) no other wedding vendor has formed with them. You’re not just a fly by night guy/girl with a camera…you are a pro who cares about your brides and grooms.

Over delivering is all about making your clients feel special. So, what better way to make sure they know they are valued than to single them out online? Tell your followers how much you love these two. Shout from the hilltops how much you appreciate your clients and love working with them on their special day. Blog, facebook and tweet your way into their hearts forever.

3. GIVE THEM SURPRISES – Why do you have to wait until their anniversary, Christmas or Valentine’s day to give your clients gifts? Websites like MPix.com or WHCC have a WONDERFUL selection of gifts to give your clients that are completely affordable! One of my favorite gifts is the accordion book. I give these, specifically, to my client’s parents. These are small books that they can fit in their briefcases and purses and whip out to show off co-workers. Not only are they a source of pride and completely unexpected for clients, but I’ve booked AT LEAST one wedding from one of these little bad boys!

4. MAKE YOUR FIRST MEETING MEMORABLE – What is going to set you apart from the other photographers (because FYI…your clients ARE meeting with more than one photog)? What is going to make YOU stand out from your competition?

It’s going to be the way your make your couple FEEL.

You want to make them feel comfortable, confident and unique to your business. They need to feel special and loved. Kiiiinda like Brittney Spears when she was going through her “let’s shave our heads” phase.

It could be as simple as buying them a cup of cocoa to get them relaxed. (I would stay away from gifts at the first meeting, since this could ALMOST look like you are trying to buy them as clients…). Josh and I have our own unique version of the “first client meeting” that DEFINITELY puts our clients on a pedestal. Feel free to steel it!

So long story slightly longer…don’t leave your clients WANTING more. They expect more anyways. So give it to them! Surprise them! They know you want to win their love…so win their love by a mile.

Kirkland Valentine’s Day Idea (Photo credit: IMOInkPhotography)

So in your small business, how are you over delivering to your clients? Do you promise something but give them more? In a sea of wedding photography fish, how do you stand out and make your clients feel special?

Tell us in the comments section below!

Online Editing Workshop for Lightroom and Photoshop

TerraDawn — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:34:25 +0000

PHOTO EDITING WORKSHOP FOR LIGHTROOM AND PHOTOSHOP

What: Photo Editing Workshop using Bridge, Lightroom and Photoshop

Where: Online

Date: March 9th, 2013 (1pm – 4pm PST with an hour Q/A session afterwards)

Cost: $75

Our first big workshop of 2013 is HERE!!!! w00t!!!!

On March 9th, 2013 IMO Ink is going to be holding a 3 hour online workshop for photographers! We will be starting in bridge and going over file organization. After that, we head into some basic and finally advanced techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Specifically, we will be going over:

basic edits

color correction

moving or erasing objects completely

editing for portfolio building

culling

using advanced techniques with actions

the liquify tool

masking

AND SO MUCH MORE!!

We will help you to start your portfolio or develop your portfolio in cohesive and WAY impressive manner.

Is this workshop for you?

Goooood question. If you are just starting out in the photography industry and looking to speed up the learning process (think from a Yugo to a Corvette!!) with your file organization, your basic edits and finally your advanced edits…this is definitely the workshop for you.

We are going to give you ALL the secrets the pros use. By the end of the workshop, you’ll know how to handle these actions like a pair of six shooters outgunning Eastwood in a sundown shootout. And if you’re still struggling after the class, Josh and I will be available to every attendee via email for any questions you might need answered!

What do you get?

Every attendee will get:

3 hours of online workshop time

time after the workshop for a Q/A session

questions answered (when appropriate) during the workshop

4 FREE PDF’s about the editing process and the basics needed to begin building and editing a professional portfolio

FREE Actions and Handouts from the Workshop’s Sponsors

**The first 25 to sign up will receive a FREE 1 0n 1 website/portfolio review!!

To sign up for the workshop and/or check out the more depth details head to this link!

Online Photo Editing Workshop March 2013

**The portfolio review is NOT a review of your individual work, but a review of your portfolio as a whole and what IMO Ink recommends you do to make it stronger. These portfolio reviews will be scheduled and conducted via email and Skype.

Christmas Shindigs in Seattle and DC Photography Workshops

TerraDawn — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:17:23 +0000

Kirkland Wedding Photographers and DC Photography Workshops

Yeah….you read that right. Josh and I covering BOTH coasts this holiday season, bringing your shoots in both Seattle AND DC…as well as a photography and editing workshop right before Christmas!! Think about all those photos you’re going to take…and how heavenly it will be to edit them to perfection.

*Le sigh*

For the clients!

Josh is sticking close to home celebrate the holidays with his family, so if you’re in need some last minute family, engagement, baby (or even if you just need a professional to document you dressing Fido up like Santa’s Little Helper) then don’t hesitate to shoot an email to Josh at Josh@IMOInk.com or you can use the form below to get hold of either of us!

How could you NOT want to work with this man????

IF you’re in the DC area, and commuting to Josh is a bit of a hastle ( 0_0 ) then give ME a call!

I’m visiting family and friends and my new little nephew Parker, over the holidays…so space is primarily reserved for them BUT…I have three spots left open for portrait sessions in the DC, MD and VA areas! So check your calendars for December 11th-20th!

Shoot ME an email at Terra@imoink.com OR you can use the form at the bottom of this post to get hold of me.

Here’s what you get!

1-2 hours of shooting time with me. We can squeeze as much in as you’d like! Family, baby AND Fido!! (SHOOT AAAAAAAAALL THE THINGS!!!!!!)
A turnaround time of 48 hours on downloadable digital files for you to use for Christmas Cards, emails, facebook, prints…you name it!
The files in your gallery are also available for ordering with a turnaround time of 48 hours for delivery. So it’s almost assured (as long as you aren’t ordering the week OF Christmas) that you’ll have prints and gifts with your adorable punam on the front with plenty of time for the fat man to squeeze himself down the chimney.

You can also just fill out this form with your information and we’ll get back to you ASAP to determine which photographer will be best for your location!

[contact-form]

Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

For the Photographers:

Now on to one of my favorite parts!

While I’m in the DC area, I’ll be holding an intimate workshop for five photographers only. I have an AMAZING off the chain (you seriously don’t want to freakin’ miss this) shoot planned for the morning, and then we’ll spend the evening in a warm setting (possibly with hot chocolate…but definitely with lunch), while I go over how I artistically edit my work in both LR and PS!

Here’s the breakdown:

This workshop is going to be a SUPER sweet deal for the 6 photogs who can get in here fast enough.

The first two hours, from 2:30 to sunset, are going to be dedicated to a GORGEOUS winter shoot with a professional model.

I will be covering:

basic composition
lighting
emotion
telling a story
RAW vs. JPG
equipment
manual settings
working 1 on 1 with clients
and more!

Then we will break for lunch, I will most likely be going all out for Subway catering, I imagine. ;D I will contact everyone for specific food requirements/allergies before the workshop date.

After we satisfy our munchies comes the SECOND half of this workhshop! We will retire to soon to be determined house of choice, where I will show you:

How to Cull in Lightroom 4
How to color correct in Lightroom 4
How to export with tags, keywords, and metadata in Lightroom 4
How to do basic touch up in Photoshop CS4 and later
How to use actions PROPERLY (because very few people know this, actually) in PS CS4
A few tricks in Photoshop that will absolutely change the way you think, edit and work.

What Will You Get

a Freebie on the basics of photography (even the most advanced photog can get something out of this!)
a Freebie on a lot of the points we will be discussing on LR and PS
a few free, basic PS actions for you to play with and take home
Aaaaand you get 6 on 1 question time with me!

Photographers of ALL levels are welcome!! I DO recommend that you have either an SLR camera or a digital camera you can get creative with. I will be showing you techniques that you can use with any equipment…but SLR’s are just fun. :D If you DON’T have an SLR camera, but you would like to use one for this day…check out rentals from Penn (Calumet) in Tyson’s Corner, or LensRentals.com or BorrowLenses.com.

I recommend using at least a Canon 50D or better for the body! I use a 50mm 1.2 lens…but the 1.4 is super fun and a lot easier on the pocket book.

If you don’t have PS CS4 or LR4, no worries! You can download 30 day free trials of these programs on the Adobe website. I recommend downloading them the week before the workshop to give yourself time to play and become familiar with the controls.

This event already has a TON of interest…well over the 6 spots available, so be sure to ask your questions quickly and book your spot!

In addition to the freebies mentioned above, you will also be one of only 5 photographers with FREE access to our February ONLINE editing workhshop!

That’s right…everyone has to pay…you don’t.

Because that’s how you roll.

In any case, to book your tickets for the DECEMBER 15, 2012, workshop, head to THIS LINK!!

And see you in a few weeks, DC!

Contact Us!

TerraDawn — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 18:29:04 +0000

Kirkland Wedding and Portrait Photography

We’ve worked SUPER hard to give you inspiration and information! So if you want to shoot us an email with a quick word of encouragement, set up a FREE Engagement Session, or even just say hi…fill out the form below! We would love to hear from you!

[contact-form]

Terra & Josh

6 Ideas to Help Fill Your Photography Business Gaps

TerraDawn — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:54:14 +0000

BUSINESS ADVICE FOR THE BEGINNING PHOTOGRAPHER

Know what I like about feet? (No…this is NOT a fetish. I actually think they are rather disgusting and don’t want to be touched by them.)

I like two things about feet:

1. The middle toe. It’s my favorite. It’s surrounded by two toes on each side. It’s protected, balanced, the center of the other toe’s attention.

and….

2.That’s where the secret party is. No one ever sees your feet unless you’re letting your hair down. You can paint your FINGERS a nice pink or even a cherry red…but you can paint your TOES mint green!!!

So what am I getting at? Your feet should be like the backend of your business. Balanced. Comfortable. Protected.

AND PAINTED MINT GREEN!!!!!!

We don’t go into business KNOWING how to do everything perfectly. Even the best of us lack something; Whether it’s math skills, people skills, technical skills, writing skills, idea skills, or even organizational skills. But what every small business owner lacks…they make up for with what they do best.

So what is my advice for new photographers just starting out in business? In the beginning, focus on your strengths…those are going to be what move you forward and give you the edge on your competition. If you’re great at Math…focus on getting the backend of your business organized. Focus and preparing and saving money at tax season. And go a step farther! Prepare materials for other photographers to download from your website! Freebies and purchasable items are wonderful for building your name and your brand.

So share the wealth of your knowledge!!!

If you’re great at writing…focus on blogging and social media. Write free PDF’s with information your followers and brides might find interesting.

And don’t forget that with any of your strengths you should bring out your personality. If you have a cheesy sense of humor (HELLOOOOO!!! LOOK WHO YOU’RE READING RIGHT NOW!!), embrace it and use it in your business building. You’ll be SO much happier being yourself…and your clients will be SO much more enthusiastic to do business with a real person and not a JCP Studio.

After a year or so, you’ll get a handle on who you are as a business and business person. You’ll have a pretty clear idea of your strengths and weaknesses…and you can start focusing on making up for the areas you lack.

Now listen to me here…when I say “focus on your weaknesses”, I don’t mean “LET’S LEARN MATH!!!”

Face/palm.

No, no. If you’re heinous at math now…chances are good that a local community college class will NOT change much. (Trust the one who took remedial math THREE times…). What you need is to look at ulterior ways to make up for this gap in your awesome. You need to take the pressure off of yourself so that you can focus on your STRENGTHS.

There are a couple of things you can do here. The first step is to REALLY analyze your business. Take the time to write down what you are best at…I mean REALLY REALLY best at. Then do the same thing for your faults.

And be honest.

Are you kind of a horrible people person? Do you procrastinate? Can you not balance a checkbook or seem to get anywhere on time?

List EVERYTHING! Now you have a clear idea of what you need to overcome. Now, what are you going to do to get it off your plate? Some faults are easily solvable. If you are terrible at math…you MIGHT have to hire an outside dude/dudette to help keep your books balanced.

If you can’t write, have you ever thought about hiring a ghost writer? This could be a friend or a cousin or a college student looking to make a little extra money. This DOESN’T have to be an expensive fix! Just make sure that they can form complete sentences and knowing the backend of your particular blogging platform is a plus.

You can also just bite the bullet and set aside ONE day a month to get your writing done. Pick FOUR topics or shoots to bust blog posts out on. Then postdate the entries so that they go up one a week for the next month.

Add this day to your calendar and make sure no one bothers you. Focusing for an entire day on something you loath hurts your brain. 0_0

So get creative! Think about ways that will minimalize your focus on the negative or even get it off your plate completely.

Check out these programs and links below that might help you in your efforts and make a few things easier on you.

Studio Cloud – This FREE studio program helps to keep your clients organized. You can attach dates, addresses, payments, invoices, receipts, EVERYTHING!! Out of all of the paid studio programs there are…I still use this one. And NOT for it’s free factor. These guys just put out a good, solid program.

HootSuite - Hootsuite is a desktop program that allows you to update and postdate your social media updates. Have a blog post that is scheduled to go up the next day? Schedule a tweet and Facebook post to go up just minutes after the post is live. HootSuite keeps your fans up to date with your happenings when YOU’RE thinking about it.

MailChimp – MailChimp is a GREAT tool for all small businesses! Although there is a tid bit of a learning curve, they provide all the materials to teach you how to build a list of clients interested in what you have to say. Their customizable newsletter templates allow you to brand your information and keep your clients in the small business loop. (Sign up for our newsletter to the left and receive a FREE video of how we edit!!)

Google Adwords Keyword Tool – GAH. This tool is invaluable to a small business! If you have issues with SEO and keywording and fighting your way to the top (or at least to page 2) of the Google dog pile…this little baby MIGHT be what you’re looking for. The Keywords tool allows you to type in a phrase to find out which suggested keywords might be better for your campaign. Their is a trick to it, though…so I recommend you check out #9 on my blog post “11 Steps to Improving Traffic After a Website Launch“.

How Much Do I Charge? – Ahhhh…the question of the ages FINALLY answered. ”Busine$$ Savvy Photographer” has put together spreadsheets and videos to help the beginning to PRO photographer figure out (using formulas, estimated costs, equipment value, and more) what to charge to make a profit!

Although it MAY seem like magic…I’ve been told it’s Math.

Elance – Elance is kind of a business team in a box, in my opinion. If you’ve looked at your “found wanting” list and have determined that hiring out might be the best way to go…check out companies like Elance. They allow you to interview professionals within YOUR price point to do exactly what you need them to. Writers, accountants, marketers, graphic designers…It’s a ZOO of professionalism!!

Yeah…you’re smiling now, aren’t you. I can feel it through the computer screen.

Love ya! MUAH!!!

Terra and Josh

P.S. Don’t forget to head over to our Facebook page and friend us for a FREE gift!!! (Click the PDF button in the top bar to download it!!)

IMO Ink » For Photographers

SEO Magic: How to Get Your WordPress Blog to Page One in Google

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Four Affordable Ways to Over Deliver to Your Photography Business Clients

How To Go Beyond Your Client’s Expectations and Build Loyalty In Your Photo Business

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Online Editing Workshop for Lightroom and Photoshop

PHOTO EDITING WORKSHOP FOR LIGHTROOM AND PHOTOSHOP

Specifically, we will be going over:

Is this workshop for you?

What do you get?

To sign up for the workshop and/or check out the more depth details head to this link!

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Christmas Shindigs in Seattle and DC Photography Workshops

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Contact Us!

Kirkland Wedding and Portrait Photography

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6 Ideas to Help Fill Your Photography Business Gaps

AND PAINTED MINT GREEN!!!!!!

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